"Karachi Rangers Attack Probe Reveals Afghan-Based Four-Stage Terror Plot Investigation Uncovers Cross-Border Terror Network Afghan Attackers and Mastermind Identified During the interrogation of Qari Bashir, the mastermind of the Karachi Rangers attack, and a terror facilitator arrested in connection with the case Three of the terrorists involved in the attack were Afghan nationals. Pre-attack footage of the terrorists, from the mobile phones of the arrested facilitators recovered The attack was planned in Afghanistan and executed in four phases, involving a terrorist network based in Afghanistan and facilitators operating inside Pakistan. The first phase involved planning in Afghanistan. The second phase focused on moving the attackers into Pakistan. The third phase involved support from local facilitators, while the final phase included supplying the attackers with weapons and suicide vests. One of the suicide bombers, Janan, was an Afghan national. Another attacker was a resident of Bajaur who had been living in Afghanistan for the past 20 years. A third attacker, Umar Farooq, was from Kunar Province, Afghanistan, while the fourth attacker, who was captured alive, was from Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. Investigators identified Qari Bashir as the mastermind. He was called from Pakistan to Afghanistan and assigned responsibility for planning the attack. He was later arrested by security forces during an operation. During interrogation, Qari Bashir confessed to his role in planning the attack and other related terrorist activities"